Forever at war
by MissTonks21
Summary: Harry takes a break after the war, on holiday with Teddy in the USA the zombie apocalypse starts. He can't get home and he doesn't know what to do, just that he has to keep moving. That is until he finds the group. Rating: just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Own nothing

* * *

That was it. America was now officially his least favorite country on earth. Seriously was one normal holiday too much to ask for after everything. Yes of course it was and now he and Teddy were stuck in the lower depths of hell with frickin inferi that just do not play by the rules.

Normal inferi are scared of fire, Normal inferi are affected by spells, Fuck that normal people don't have to deal with the dead getting back up and wondering around trying to eat your godson. But no it wasn't enough to be there when it started because apparently there is no way out. All countries had put port-key and apparition wards up to prevent spreading the disease. Harry hated everyone.

So far thanks to his luck and years of fighting Voldemort he had come out fairly unscathed. Along with little Teddy of course, but what child can grow up normally around the walking dead. Two months had passed since the outbreak, Harry just knew that he was nearly eighteen and Teddy around one.

Everything was a battle, he kept moving though. Death eaters may not be the same as zombies but they both wanted him dead so he employed the same tactics Hermione had taught: keep moving, always keep moving. So far it had worked great. For the most part.

Two days later and they were already running low on supplies. Sighing Harry scooped teddy out of the shopping trolly turned fortress-pram, hummed and thought. 5 cans of beans, two jars of baby food and three water canisters. He needed to get to a store - fast.

There was also the issue of what to do once he ran out of biscuits and the last dummy for Teddy. Crying was just too dangerous especially with these fuckers attracted by noise.

Ammo too, it would be great if he could find a silencer or something, Merlin even more knives would do - anything seriously. First priority was food though, he swore he could not wait for Teddy to eat real food properly finding baby food was an absolute nightmare.

Whimpering caught his attention fast, looking around confirmed it - walkers, crap a whole lot of them. It only took a moment for Harry to have Teddy back into the sturdy old truck he found (and still had trouble driving) and his fort-pram loaded with the camp gear on the back. They were away and safe almost immediately, that didn't appease either Harry or Teddy - one of whom was hoping for a place to camp out for a few days the other whose sensitive half-werewolf nose couldn't stand the lingering odor of rotting flesh.

"Alright cub just a few miles more and we can be okay."

_Just a few_.

* * *

A few days later and they dangerously close to actually out of fucking food. They hadn't come across a single shop and Harry was getting desperate. He hadn't eaten for nearly a full day because Teddy needed sustenance more. During period where he was known as undesirable no 1, and on the run, Hermione had briefed him on a few edible plants and his knowledge of potions helped a bit - the problem was that the plants where they were now were different. It was terrifying.

The truck stuttered to a stop on the motorway-like road causing Harry to let out a bitter and slightly hysterical laugh.

"Ironic isn't it cub, survive 17 years with a crazy dark lord after your head, months against bloody backwards Inferi and we get taken down by starvation."

Teddy doesn't laugh or cry but he knows that something isn't good, and he is sure he can smell dead things again. He hates the dead things. They make his Da _wrong_ and they smell _wrong_.

Eventually Harry spots them. Walkers, hundreds of them - a heard. There is no hope - even with magic or hell even muggle weapons he knows he can't win. Not this time. Not this war.

He and Teddy might be the only ones left. He really wouldn't know, The last time he saw another real human had to have been weeks ago. Weeks might as well be years in these times. Harry was fairly certain they were all dead. He couldn't deal with having to meet them - protect them. Maybe even bloody love them. Only to have them turn. Just like everyone else in this hell.

So he might have been a bit bitter - Fuck Merlin who wouldn't be? Having Teddy with him, while possibly keeping him sane, wasn't really helping. He was responsible. Again. For another innocents life. He more than anyone deserves the right to be angry. Fuck the fates, fuck his friends - the ones who thought going on holiday was a 'wonderful idea Harry, please you must go, for Ted's sake'.

Maybe he didn't have a right to be mad at them but the walking dead weren't really very good opponents, no none of the verbal sparing he had become so accustomed to over the years. Fuck he'd even take Malfoy over these. Gods times really were hard if he was missing Malfoy. He gave another mirthless chuckle.

"Hell I'll even take Snape-no Voldemort over these."

The herd had come a lot closer and so Harry did the first thing he could think of and dove into one of the abandoned cars which littered the motorway. The door clicked shut in time for the first walker to pass - they didn't notice a thing. Dumb fucks. Still the short term scent repelling charm may have helped matters slightly not that it was any less of a victory.

Sometimes he thought the madness might kill him before any of those rotting corpses got close. They stayed in the car not a moment longer than they had to and as soon as the herd had gone from sight Harry rolled himself and Teddy from the car and stench of rotting flesh.

You can only see so many rotting bodies - still and walking before you can't really cope anymore. Not by conventional methods anyway. Certainly not with only a baby for company.

Not that Harry wouldn't kill for Teddy or be killed for that matter but sometimes the whole end-of-the-world thing became a lot harder looking into those bright innocent, trusting eyes. One day he wouldn't be there to protect him anymore. Unless Teddy went first.

He honestly wasn't sure which would be worse.

* * *

He didn't notice the group until he was almost upon them and childed himself thoroughly for his stupidity 'Constant vigilance' was the first rule of survival in this war. You should never forget the rules of war.

There were a lot of them, more than he had seen for a while and, wow, they had a child with them. They all looked panicked though. Harry guessed it had something to do with the herd that had passed not long ago. They were shouting and Harry really wanted to come forwards and tell them to shut the fuck up, seriously how did they manage to survive so long without following one of the rules!

Someone came from the woods, he looked tired. A forced leader albeit a good one, that much was obvious, how many times had Harry been forced into the same position after all. Another good reason to follow his rules - 'Ignore your idiotic hero complex, it can't help here and bloody well don't get involved'. That was one of the hardest. The one he'd broken most often so far. It never worked out though no matter what he did. You couldn't save someone for ever, not anymore. Not here.

More shouting. Morgana's tits did these people have a death wish. He might be able to escape walkers grips easily as long as he had his wand and quick thinking but these people would be toast with one wrong move. Hell Harry could easily become a rotter with one wrong move. What were they thinking?

And now they were heading into the woods again. Calling - loudly for a girl. Idiots.

Harry did the only logical thing. He followed them.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I've not been too well. Nearly better now though so yeah. I've changed the first chapter a little too so you might want to check that out.

And Sakura Lisel thanks for the review and the suggestion but in my story Harry hasn't even completed his seventh year yet - he might be a little advanced but his focus is all defensive magic, that's why he can't make a portkey or risk side-along apparition with Teddy.

On with the story.

* * *

All the idiots were shouting again, seriously how did these folks manage to survive so long? Sophia. Someone called Sophia. 'I'll just find this girl and take her back and then we can go, it's just about the food. Saving people thing is not involved here'.

"I can't even lie to myself Cub. Point me Sophia."

The wand twisted and turned for what seemed like forever but eventually settled on a path directly into the forest. Normally Harry would have preferred to jump through the trees but it wasn't really an option with Teddy in his arms. So they walked. Out of habit (from the on-the-run-days) Harry avoided stepping on anything that might leave a trail and cast the complicated temporary smell suppressant. He didn't leave a trail.

It didn't take long to spot her, she was crying - normal, had tripped - again normal, was another child - not normal. 'Merlin those people are luckier than me on a potion'.

He stood watching, assessing the danger - after all, no use showing himself if someone from the group came along before she's hurt. Then he saw the Fuckers, at least four - no - five. The girl was crying and trying to get up clutching at her ankle. Time to step in.

He took out the walkers first, using his knife, that way there would be less questions. Teddy was strapped to his back face hidden and perfectly happy with not smelling anything for _once_.

The child looked scared and confused. It shouldn't have been that easy to take down the walkers, normally they would turn around and bite anyone trying to sneak up on them. Not him. It was weird, he looked small, and pretty, _and _really skinny. Sophia didn't know what to think.

"Hey kiddo, it's all good now. Not going to hurt you k'? Just let me look at that ankle and we'll find your group."

He spoke softly and quietly, she almost had to strain to hear him and her reply while she was sobbing was still automatically quiet,

"You saved me. Thank you. Thank you so, so much. I was so scared and Rick told me to wait - but i couldn't, the walkers came and I tried really really hard, honest - but they were so scary and i was confused and I ran the wrong way and it's so big and then they were gonna bite me and I was just so scared."

While she was speaking he moved closer and looked at the ankle. Just a sprain. He helped her too her feet while she was still rambling nonsense and took the chance to cast a discrete point me spell to this 'Rick'. Harry would bet you anything that he was the reluctant leader he saw earlier.

So they walked. Harry took Teddy off his back and into his arms but Sophia was too upset to notice. Sometimes she would veer off slightly and he would have to pull her arm gently and murmur reassurances that he wasn't totally sure she was listening to.

* * *

They were going in the wrong direction, Harry was sure. It was getting dark and with each whispered incantation the wand spun in a different direction. He needed another name before nightfall, his muggle supplies were in his pack which he left in a tree and he didn't want to use magic unless absolutely necessary. Which left asking for another name or learning how to modify the point me spell to work on inanimate with no magic. Plus the motorway probably had about a hundred vans so they probably would end up at the wrong one anyway.

Sophia wasn't really responding to him so he decided that it was pretty much useless to ask her. Thankfully this 'Rick' guy seemed to have stopped moving so he was hopefully back with the rest. Harry was pretty sure they wouldn't have moved on, they weren't that kind. He couldn't be sure though.

Merlin, magic's tiring when hungry. They had been walking a long time and it was almost completely dark, hell the moon had come out - thankfully not the full one. Harry could hear their voices again, so loud! They must be stupid. Sophia looked like she wanted to run forwards but Harry held her back. No sense barreling into danger. For a house of courage Gryffindor didn't exactly have the best ideals for survival in a war. Harry was honestly thankful he was almost a snake.

They had reached the edge of the woods and Harry finally let Sophia run to what he assumed was her mother. Harry stayed by the trees, he hated these moments - where they would either thank him or deem him a threat, but he just didn't like the idea of leaving. Not until he told them some pointers at least.

All of them were so wrapped up in the sobbing child that they didn't notice the figure standing on the edge of the road. That is until Sophia calmed down enough to ask where 'that boy' went and craned her neck around the people surrounding her.

'No use prolonging the inevitable.'

Harry stepped forwards.


	3. Chapter 3

Again sorry I haven't updated in so long and thanks for all the reviews and faves!

*I decided to change the rating to M, this is just to be save really because I'm thinking of upping the angst a bit, if there's anything specific I'll add a warning to that chapter.

* * *

The boy was skinny – even for those times, and seemed to be cradling a heap of blankets while balancing a pack which looked far too big for him.

The group just looked at him and he stared back, the stranger, the child, the one who came from nowhere, who brought Sophia back. Neither moved, it was Sophia that broke the unofficial rule by barreling forward, clutching him, thanking him.

The boys looked uncomfortable and even in the darkness the dark spots of colour that marked his cheeks were visible after he gently pried the enthusiastic little girl from his form, before immediately rocking the bundle in his arms.

"what the f-"

"Language!-"

"Ronald" Harry muttered under his breath.

The leader who had spoken stepped forwards while the other men eyed the boy wearily. The man held his arms up proving that he wasn't a threat.

"Hey kid. You're okay, it's okay we-"

Harry cut him off with a quiet laugh; fuck these people thought he was scared of _them_! He shifted Teddy to the side again, mindful of the curious, pitying and suspicious glances towards him.

"It's fine. But you guys should be more careful, surely you know by now that noise attracts _them_, and such a big group too, you're very lucky to have survived so long"

He didn't even have to fake his incredulous tone, the one Dudley always used to hate, his –are-you-really-this-stupid- voice and shake of his head. Some of the group looked offended one man even took a threatening step forwards and a woman further back hissed a reprimanding 'Shane', before the grandpa at the back gave a chuckle,

"Each to their own eh kid? So, you happen to have a name?"

The boy shifted again clutching the blankets that the group were beginning to suspect weren't blankets and eyed Shane who really looked ready to fight the scruffy boy.

"Harry. Name's Harry… It was a pleasure meeting you really, but w-I must be off now, so bye."

This time it was a woman, who stepped forwards,

"Harry wasn't it? Harry thank you thank you so much for saving my little girl, Christ she could have been bitten if you hadn't found her! Please don't leave just yet."

Harry bit back his natural -no shit? - and gave a small genuine smile, this group somehow still seemed human, and Harry knew how rare that was, if his wizarding experiences and first war hadn't made that obvious the second war had defiantly made the message 'sink in'. He unconsciously rubbed his scarred right hand as he spoke.

"I really can't stay, though I don't suppose I couldn't trouble you for some directions, not from round' here see."

A chorus of 'he's English!' and 'what's a kid doing over here' overrode Rick's reply before Shane told everyone to shut up. Rick _the leader_ stepped forwards again,

"Look, it's really dark out. You shouldn't be wandering round, I mean a heard of Walkers just passed by and we don't want anything happening to you. How bout' you just stay tonight, share some food and in the morning if you still want to leave we'll help you find a store?"

Ignoring the grumbles of the men at the mention of sharing precious food Rick looked Harry in the eye, urging him to take the offer – the kid would die by himself.

Harry just bit his lip, as a rule he stayed away from groups, he'd already seen a few who seemed to have forgotten their humanity and groups always demanded to be saved – never mind the questions about Teddy and his unique 'skills'. But he was hungry, he hadn't eaten a full meal in forever constantly worried about running out and until he could steel another car with some petrol they weren't safe out alone. If he took slightly too long to reply no one said anything, it was right to be cautious.

"I guess… just one night, you sure you don't mind?"

"Great and of course we don't"

Harry just looked pointedly at the two large men flanking Rick but didn't comment. He then looked back at rick raising his chin defensively.

"My godson will need some food too."

He shifted the bundle so a small face covered partially by a hat was just visible in the poor light.

"This is Teddy."


End file.
